#ATTNats: Day 2 Prelims Blog

11/30/2012

USA Swimming’s PR staff is on-site for the 2012 AT&T Winter National Championships in Austin, Texas.

6:36 a.m. CT – The hotel phone rings along with my iPhone alarm. However, I quickly answered the room phone and hit snooze on my iPhone multiple times due to the fact that Stacey Michael-Miller kept me out super late last night.

I’m just kidding (or jk for the folk that prefer textese). Stacey deals with the USADA representative on-site and we’re generally the last to leave the pool. We ended up going to grab a bite at a food spot right by our hotel. We were in and out within 40 minutes and returned back to the hotel by 10:30 p.m.

6:59 – I ACTUALLY wake up and start to get ready for the day. The pearly whites are brushed, my laptop and charger go into my bag, deodorant goes on, shower, wash the money-making machine (aka my face) and normally I would shave but that has been non-existent since it’s “No Shave November”.

7:28 – Head down to the lobby to be Mandy’s chauffeur again. Unfortunately, she’s not downstairs by our 7:30 departure time. :)

7:34 – Grabbed my first cup of coffee as Mandy rolls out of the elevator. Off to the pool!

9:10 – Men’s 200y medley relay conclude to the voice of the Canadian announcer Chris Hindmarch-Watson announcing that competition pool will be closed for a 10-minute break. If you’re at home and watching the webcast, you’ve probably heard Chris’ voice before.

9:31 – Heat 3 begins without Meghan Hawthorne. Down to three National Team members in the 400y medley.

9:43 – USA Swimming’s Assistant Executive Director Mike Unger joins us in the media area. He’s a Yankees fan so we talked about how their now-former catcher Russell Martin had just signed with the Pirates which means they need a catcher. Then he went into a story about him being a catcher growing up.

10:03 – AT&T runs a Text Trivia question each morning. The question today was “What National Team member’s uncle was a track and field World Champion and played safety in the NFL?” The answer options were Nick Thoman, Charlie Houchin, Jimmy Feigen and Davis Tarwater. I know the answer, do you?

10:13 – Men’s 400y concludes with NBAC swimmer Chase Kalisz earning the top spot in the finals with a 3:45.51 prelim swim.

10:34 – There’s a tie for the eighth spot in the men’s 100y fly finals between Wade Allen and Tyler McGill. The crowd-pleasing swim-off will be conducted upon conclusion of the morning swims.

10:43 – Decided to upload video interviews from Katie Ledecky and Ryan Lochte after their gold medal winning performances. Go check them out at our YouTube page or at our recap article.

10:55 – Last night’s winner in the 500y free, Katie Ledecky, collected the top seed in the women’s 200y free tonight with a 1:44.58 swim. Joining Ledecky in the finals are Erika Erndl, Quinn Carrozza, Missy Franklin, Karle Bispo, Simone Manuel, Kylie Stewart and Lia Neal. It should be an exciting race!

10:57 – One of the favorites here in Austin- former Longhorn swimmer Ricky Berens- swims the fastest prelim time in the 200y free. His 1:33.21 holds off Ryan Lochte’s 1:34.59.

11:16 – Remember that AT&T Text Trivia question from 10:03 a.m.? Answer was announced and if you choose Davis Tarwater, you are correct!

11:26 – Three of the top four times for the women’s 100y breaststroke were turned in by National Team members. Laura Sogar had the fastest swim in 59.18. Ellyn Baumgardner (59.31) and Jessica Hardy (59.62) went three and four, respectively, while Kasey Carlson was sandwiched between the National Teamers in second (59.29).

11:41 – American record holder in the 100y breast, Kevin Cordes, turns in the fastest time of the morning in that event with a 51.86.

11:57 – Missy Franklin swims a 52.28 in the final heat of the 100y back. It’s the fastest time in the morning as she’ll swim in Lane 4 of the finals tonight.